Hero
by Beanacre0
Summary: Harry and Ron are dead, as are most of the Order, and all hope is gone. Voldemort now rules and half bloods and Muggleborns are either pushed into prostitution, slavery or are simply killed. Everyone lives in fear until one day someone stands up to them all. Someone reignites the flame of hope. Her name is Hero, but that wasn't always her name. M for Sex content and character death
1. Prologue

Just an idea I've been toying with for a while, then I watched V for Vendetta and the idea for the wider plot came to me. So I've decided to write it. This one will be far more serious than anything else I've written and will be a lot darker too.

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**Prologue**

The night sky above was stunningly clear, seemingly mocking the events it observed, or maybe it wanted the best view. I couldn't be sure. What I could be sure on was that I had never seen a more beautiful and terrifying sight.

Alone she stood, blood smeared across the front of the white robe she wore, against the army. Her steely gaze did not waver and every muscle was tensed, ready and waiting. She bore the jeers with stony silence and the cruel remarks fell on deaf ears. She did not respond to a single word out of his mouth.

Well, all bar one word.

Her name.

"No."

Her voice was loud in the silence and all attention was drawn to her.

"My name is Hero."

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	2. Chapter 1 - The Beginning

Here we are, chapter one.

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**Chapter One**

**The Beginning**

Down one of the murkiest side streets in Knockturn Alley hung the sign for Madame Zabini's Brothel. It swayed squeakily in the wind, beckoning the lusty wizards passing by to venture inside. Red candles illuminated the windows, highlighting the near naked girls in the window. Dead eyes stared out, a mockery of a smile on their faces. All feeling drained from them. They were just shells. But these men liked it. They laughed at the sight of the defeat, they mocked the ones who were once fighters and enjoyed violating the bodies of the former soldiers.

There was one that particularly drew them. A true fighter in a former life; a powerful symbol of hope that was extinguished. Madame Zabini took great joy in parading this gem and selling her to the highest bidders of the night.

She stood in the large bay window at the front of the brothel, her usual spot, and the soft glow of the candles danced across her porcelain skin. She wore more than the other girls positioned in the windows, but the green corset with matching panties and stockings held up by garters did little to hide her body. Her smile was just as dead as the others' and the oval eyes that once glowed with stubbornness and rebellion were flat and emotionless.

The men, however, were not looking at her face. Their yearning eyes fixed on her ample bosom and rounded hips. They greedily climbed her silky legs until they reached her thighs, and they longed to view what the pants concealed. So they ventured inside with the hopes of claiming her as their own, some simply because they desired her while others because they wanted to dominate her. While most did not secure the privilege of her company for the evening and were content simply to live out their fantasies by buying another girl, the richest few enjoyed their money's worth.

"Come here. It is time." Madame Zabini ordered the girl. "Remember, stand up straight and flaunt your figure."

Silently, she walked towards her mistress. She was all too aware of the eyes following her as her heels clicked along the worn wooden floor. The men parted as she strode through them, her head high. Her posture was once a sign of her defiance, but now it was merely an automatic gesture to ensure she looked her best for the clients.

She stepped carefully up onto the podium. She wished she would fall and break her neck, but she could never purposefully do such a thing. Not with Madam Zabini's beady violet eyes watching her every move. She instead settled for standing beside the buxom Italian obediently.

"Now gentlemen, the time has come to bid on our most treasured jewel. You all know who she is and one lucky wizard will claim her as his own for the next couple of hours to do with what you will." Madam Zabini gave a wide smile at her patrons. "Shall we start the bidding at fifty Galleons?"

Hands shot into the air and voices cried out what they could pay. She stared blankly at them, imagining those hands grasping at her and those voices crying out in a different way. It turned her stomach and made her heart sink, but she continued to smile and hold her head high. She had never been very good at acting however she had learnt on the job. It was her only way to survive.

"Sold!"

Madam Zabini's voice broke her out of her sickening visions and brought her back to her equally vile reality. She recognised the man that had bought her from a long time ago. She had once fought against him and now it seemed she was to share her bed with him. Something she had been forced to do a fair few times since her old self died and she was reborn into this life.

"Mister Rookwood, come and claim your prize." The Italian woman grinned, stepping to the side and gesturing to the girl. "I know she is dying to be yours."

It felt as though she was giving one of the best performances of her life as she giggled and looked at him seductively. She held out her hand and bit her lower lip. She held back from recoiling when his rough, calloused palm gripped her smaller, smooth hand. The men once more parted as she led him through them to the large staircase in the centre of the brothel. Their gazes were full of envy but they were already seeking out new targets.

Her cinnamon coloured eyes caught familiar faces as she weaved through the group. Right at this moment though these faces were not those of her friends' but the faces of fellow prisoners sold for the amusement of men.

She took him to the room that she typically used to entertain her 'guests' and shut the door behind her with a firm press. It clicked as it slid into the frame and another click announced that it was now locked. Steeling herself, she spun to face him and plastered a large smile on her face.

"What do you want to do with me, Mister Rookwood?" She purred. "I'm all yours."

Rookwood gave a lecherous grin. "Do you remember me, girlie?"

Of course she did. How could she forget?

"Should I?" She tilted her head letting her caramel curls caress her shoulders and just brush her exposed cleavage.

Rookwood gave a throaty chuckle. "It doesn't matter. I remember you. Now come here and take off your corset, nice and slowly."

She strode towards him and with a gentle push he fell back to sit on the bed, a cloud of dust rising into the air as he did so. He watched with a gluttonous gaze as she undid each clasp down the front of her corset. She threw it one side and stood before him, her breasts exposed to the cool air. Her nipples hardened in reaction to the sudden temperature change and Rookwood licked his lips. His eyes traversed her milky skin to where her pants obstructed his view. He reached up and began to paw at her breasts.

She threw back her head in a well-practised motion and let out a rehearsed moan. It seemed to do the trick and Rookwood's gaze became even hungrier. His pawing became even more aggressive and began to be rather painful, but she continued to moan and make pleasurable noises. It was her job after all.

She was relieved when he demanded she lay on the bed. She could retreat into her mind while he ravished her body and wouldn't have to concentrate like she sometimes had to if the men demanded she take control or go on top. She barely even felt the thrusts that propelled Rookwood's member into her. She was too lost in her thoughts.

He had asked her if remembered him, and she did. She could recall with crystal clarity the last time she saw him.

_Her legs propelled her forward as she ran, her hair flying out behind her and branches whipping her skin. There would be bruises tomorrow, but she was sure that if she didn't get away now then she would be facing worse than that. _

_A man suddenly appeared in front of her and she caught herself with a gasp. Her eyes widened as his face contorted into a cruel smirk. _

"_Did you think you could get away? Face it, girlie, your side's lost. There's no point in fighting us now." Rookwood growled. _

_She raised her wand and pointed it at him. "I can try."_

_There were several pops and more men surrounded her. She glanced around and felt her gut clench. She was hopelessly out numbered. There was no getting out of this. _

"_Get her. Take her wand." Rookwood commanded. _

_She managed to get a few spells off to incapacitate some of the men before one of them managed to grab a hold of her wand. She watched with horrified eyes as he handed it to Rookwood who snapped it in half. _

"_No!" She cried, tears leaking from her eyes. _

"_I told you that you wouldn't get away." Rookwood sneered, stepping forward. _

_Her wand might have been snapped, but her rebellious spirit hadn't been broken. She gathered as much saliva in her mouth as she could and launched it at Rookwood. It landed square in his eye. He back handed her and her lip split. _

_She glared up at him and he returned her glare with one of his own. He turned his back on her and threw her wand to the floor, stamping on it so it broke some more. _

"_I'll come and visit you when that stubborn streak has gone. I always quite liked the thought of fucking you." He snarled. _

She was brought back to reality as Rookwood let out a guttural moan and his hips started thrusting weakly. With a grunt, he collapsed on top of her and lay there panting. She fought back her grimace.

"See, I told you I would visit you. Fucking you was like I'd always imagined it." He whispered, his rancid breath brushing her ear.

He pulled himself up and with a wave of his wand he was fully dressed. He didn't even look at her as he crossed to the door. As he opened it, he paused.

Then he looked at her and she felt sickened by the smile that crossed his face displaying all of his crooked yellow teeth.

"Thanks for the fuck, _Hero_."

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	3. Chapter 2 - Off-Duty

The second chapter of Hero. This is a little bit about the every day life of the girls at Madame Zabini's.

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**Chapter Two**

**Off-Duty**

Sunlight bore down on Diagon Alley but even it seemed to know better than to even attempt to enter Knockturn Alley. Still, she sat at the only window in the girls' dormitory yearning to bask in its warm glow as she looked out over Diagon Alley. Alas she was never allowed to leave, and instead would have to just dream.

"Fantasising about sunlight again?"

She turned her head slightly and gave a small smile. "Maybe."

"You know you we can't leave. Not unless _she_ sends us out to a private job, and that's always at night."

"Don't you miss it, Opal?"

Opal, a pale woman with just as pale blonde hair that hung about her face in corkscrew curls, gave a small, sad smile. Her blue eyes drifted from her friend's face and towards the sunlight. Truthfully she did. She longed to walk bare foot along the cobbles, basking in the light and feel the warmth caressing her skin. She wouldn't even care if she burned. It would be worth it.

"No. I don't."

Her companion looked away and back out of the window. "Liar. You forget, I know you Opal. I've known you too long."

"Stop moping."

The two turned to see a tanned blonde woman with hazel eyes wrapped in a silken green dressing gown standing behind them with a hand on her hip. Her full lips were spread in a teasing smile and her freckled nose was wrinkled.

"Good morning Estella." Opal beamed.

"Morning." Estella replied.

"Mmm, come back to bed."

Tanned hands wound themselves around Estella's stomach and short, choppy dark brown hair brushed her cheek as the other woman placed her chin on her shoulder. Sleepy dark brown eyes didn't seem to notice the other two women and only focused on Estella.

"That sounds so tempting, Penelope, but you know if Madame Zabini finds us then we'll both be killed." Estella whispered.

Penelope kissed her lover's neck. "I know, but I just hate to let you go."

Opal's eyes were drawn back to the window as Diagon Alley was plunged into shade. A melancholy feeling swept into her and the smile slipped from her lips. In these dark days, it seemed even the sunlight could only stomach the sight of their world for a few moments. It preferred to watch other, happier areas of the country. The Muggle world, still untouched by Voldemort and his followers for now, passed by completely oblivious to the turmoil and horrors happening just out of sight in a community they didn't even know existed. It was that world the sun preferred to watch.

"It's hiding again, Hero." She sighed.

Hero glanced back towards the sunlight and her eyes lingered on the sight of Big Ben in the distance. One of the major land marks of the Muggle world. She had gone to see it with her parents when she was a child. Sometimes she had fantasies of escaping this wretched place and disappearing into the Muggle world. She could change her hair with dye and her eye colour with contacts. They would never find her. She could take Opal, Estella and Penelope with her and they could finally be happy. Estella and Penelope could be together without the threat of being discovered and killed, and Opal could learn how to be herself again. It seemed she had forgotten how to be happy, truly happy, since everything had happened. It broke Hero's heart. She still remembered Opal's bright, carefree smile and how she had seen the wonders of the world, even if no one else could.

"Up, girls, get up!" Madame Zabini's voice echoed along the corridor as she strode towards their room.

Penelope and Estelle separated immediately and instead stood beside each other. Hero stood and closed the curtains across the only window once more, and the four hurried to their beds. They had only just covered themselves with their blankets when the door flew open and Madame Zabini stormed in.

The Italian pureblood crossed to the window and pulled the curtains open roughly. The sun had fully gone now and rain was just beginning to lash at the panes of glass. In the light of the day, Madame Zabini was not as glamorous as she had been the night before. The rouge was gone from her cheeks, leaving her olive skin looking rather sallow and her black hair which had been secured in a bun hung around her in ragged layers. She had been beautiful before the light fell, but now it was all gone.

The Zabini family had originally sided with no one but when Voldemort took over he demanded they choose, killing those who dared to even consider choosing the light side. Madame Zabini's husband had chosen the light, and his death prompted her to choose Voldemort's side. The stress of his death had taken its toll on her and further stress was placed on her shoulders when the new Government demanded she start a brothel. All pureblood widows had to.

"Well, get up!" She snapped.

In an instant, the room descended into a flurry of action. The girls got out of their beds and began milling around, getting ready. Madame Zabini stood and watched them with dull eyes. She observed as they made their beds before hurrying one after the other into the small bathroom that they all shared. Once they were ready, the girls all stood beside their beds much like soldiers.

"Today, ladies, you shall start by cleaning and preparing your rooms for tonight's business. Then you will clean the main house and some of you will stock the bar. After you have completed your duties then you will be free to do what you wish before we open again this evening." The brothel owner ordered.

"Same old, same old." Penelope sighed.

Hero stepped into the room she had bedded Rookwood and several other men in the night before. The bright red of the walls assaulted her with its garish colouring and the faded carpet beneath her slipper covered feet made her feel sick. Her gaze travelled to the bed and she nearly heaved.

"_Do you remember me, girlie?"_

The sound of his voice was so loud in her head that she almost believed he was in the room with her. Her stomach rolled again and she had to grip it to calm it. She pulled the black sheets off the bed, choosing to ignore the tell-tale stains that reminded her of what her job was, and threw them into a hamper. They disappeared almost immediately, the house elves summoning them down into the laundry room so they could be washed and dried ready for the next day. The blanket went the same way.

Hero crossed to the old, armoire in the corner of the room and removed the new set of bedding. Behind her, the door opened and closed. She spun round, wishing she had her wand. It was common knowledge among the girls at the brothel that the men who delivered the alcohol had a tendency to wander inside and seek out girls that were alone so they could have a bit of fun. So far Madame Zabini had been able to catch them thanks to the House Elves keeping an eye on the comings and goings of the household, but there was always a first time for everything.

"Are you busy?"

Hero's shoulders relaxed. "I'm changing the bed, sir."

The tall young man crossed the room, running a gloved hand through his black, wavy hair. He stopped when he reached her and trailed his hand along her cheek. Hero turned her face into his touch, her breath quickening minutely. She looked up at him through her eyelashes and parted her lips as his finger ran along the bottom one. His bluish purple eyes sparked with a flame of lust and his pupils dilated.

"I thought you wouldn't come." She whispered.

"How could I not?"

He dipped his head and gently captured her lips with his own. The bedding Hero was holding fell to the floor and she wrapped her arms around his neck. What started out as gentle caressing of their lips turned into passionate kissing, and Hero pressed herself closer to the lightly muscled body of her companion. She felt the cool leather against her skin as his hand slipped down her body to where her simple white dress stopped at mid-thigh. She shivered as he stroked her creamy skin.

As they parted she gave a breathy moan. "Blaise."

"It happens tonight." Blaise whispered.

Hero gave a brilliant smile. "Where should I meet you?"

"In the store room. Mother plans to put you on the bar for a couple of hours tonight so you can flirt with some of the patrons. She thinks it will entice them to pay more for you. Say you've run out of butter beer or fire whiskey, and go to the storeroom. I will have your things, and we can just go."

"I love you." Hero pressed a kiss to his lips, lingering as she savoured the feeling of being loved and cared for.

"I'll see you tonight. Remember, act normal." Blaise stroked her cheek one last time and pulled away.

"I'm a brilliant actress, I'm sure I can manage it."

Blaise crossed to the door and smiled at her. "Yes. You always did excel at everything you did."

Hero watched as he left and she let out a happy laugh, tears escaping her eyes. She was getting out of there! When she had escaped and found somewhere safe she could set about freeing Opal and the others. Her dream she had had that morning would finally be a reality, and she could sleep with someone she loved instead of the highest bidder.

Come tomorrow morning, she would be liberated from this nightmare and able to live a happy life with Blaise far from the cruelty of the British wizarding world.

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Please Read and Review. Hope you enjoyed this chapter :)


	4. Chapter 3 - Escape Plans

This is a long chapter and _**there is a rape scene**_ in it, though I try not to go into too much detail. In case you haven't noticed, I don't really write sex scenes, lol.

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**Chapter Three**

**Escape Plans**

As the sun set and the last light of day filtered out from the sky, the girls of Madame Zabini's started to light the red candles in the windows. Each had gotten ready in their individual rooms that were used only to bed the patrons and prepare themselves for the lusty wizards that would buy them. Hero sat at her vanity and studied her reflection in the mirror.

What would she look like when she and Blaise escaped? She twirled a curl around her fingers. Would she keep it curly, or would she make it straight? Would it stay golden brown or would she go darker?

She reached for her eyeliner and put some along the lower lid of her eye. What about her eyes? Surely she couldn't keep them staying brown, not if she kept her hair the same. But what colour would they be? She could perhaps make them a familiar, trustworthy blue or possibly a jaded, determined green, or would that be too obvious? She hadn't inherited the grey eyes of her mother but always wished she had, so maybe now she could get her childhood wish.

Hero swiped a dark red lipstick across her full lips and then looked at the full effect. She was pleased with what she saw. The smokey eye shadow and dark eye liner made her eyes seem even more cat like and gave her a smouldering look. The effect of the dark red lips and her pale skin was striking and would be sure to catch the attention of any man.

She stood and ran her hands over the dark red and black baby doll she donned that evening. She had paired it with her favourite black stockings and tall heels. These heels killed her feet, but emphasised her legs favourably and that was what Madame Zabini cared about. She didn't care one whit about the comfort of her girls, only what they looked like and how much money they would bring in. It seemed obvious that the better the girls looked, the more men would want to sleep with them and the more money Madame Zabini would get.

The music was already playing when she made it down the stairs. The clicking of her heels was lost in the song playing from the enchanted juke box that Blaise had brought back from one of his raids as a gift to his mother. The song was familiar to her as one she had heard often during the summer breaks from school and she unconsciously found her hips swaying in time to the beat.

Greedy eyes clung to her lower half as she swung from side to side. In this moment she felt like she was in a night club, like the ones she had gone to in Muggle London a long time ago, instead of in a place where she sold her body for the enjoyment of others. She made her way to the bar, plastering fake seductive smiles on her face whenever a man groped her. Penelope was serving that night too.

"You know this song then?" She called after sliding a fire whiskey to a patron and his choice of girl for the night.

"It's called Toxic. I used to dance around to it when I was home for the summer." Hero replied.

"It's got a good beat." Penelope giggled.

A drunken patron whistled for Hero's attention. "Hey, gorgeous, how about a fire whiskey for me and my friend here?"

Hero plastered a smile on her face and turned to serve the man. Leaning on him and fiddling with his balding dark hair was Estella. She had a look of adoration on her face and she gently started kissing his neck. Estella's eyes were the only sign of her true feelings as they met Penelope's.

The sad expression flitted across Penelope's face in a matter of seconds before it was gone, and Estella's eyes mirrored her pain. Hero knew it was painful for the two women, seeing the one you loved having to pretend to love another person right in front of them. It was worse as they both knew the other's revulsion at having to sleep with a man when their tastes so obviously swung the other way.

"Here you go, handsome." Hero bit her bottom lip in a move she had used numerous times and pushed the fire whiskey into his hand, then handing another to Estella.

She looked down at the bottle in her hand and over to the storage room door. It was early, but Blaise hadn't said when to meet him only that he'd be waiting. She just wanted to get out of there before Madame Zabini decided to sell her off early. If that happened then she had no chance of getting out. Deliberately, she let go of the bottle and it crashed to the floor. The glass spread out in all directions, quickly followed by the fire whiskey.

"What happened?" Penelope gasped, her attention diverted from Estella and her customer to her friend.

"I just had a moment of clumsiness. I'll clean this up and go and get another bottle." Hero lied.

"I'll get a house elf to clean it up, but you can go and get the bottle. You look like you need a couple of moments to calm yourself." Penelope gave her a kind smile.

"I'll be right back."

She felt guilt stab her as she lied to her friend, but the last thing she needed was to be caught now. Her freedom was so close that she could taste it and she wasn't about to give up the chance for anything.

She slipped through the bodies of the girls and the patrons, smiling at a few of her regulars because it was the done thing, and over to the door to the store room. She pulled it open and disappeared inside. It was dark and a couple of torches burned on the back wall, only just breaking the gloom. Hero stepped further into the room.

"Blaise?" She called softly.

A couple of hands wrapped themselves around her waists and Blaise's signature aftershave enveloped her senses. She smiled and leant back into him, her hands covering his own and giving them a gentle squeeze.

"Did anyone notice you?" He whispered in her ear making her shiver in delight.

"Penelope knows I came back here, but I told her that I'd be right back. She thinks that I'm a bit nervous or something so if I'm not back for a while then she'll cover for me." Hero replied, kissing his jaw line.

Blaise pulled away and handed her a wand. Hero gasped in delight and ran her hands along the wood. She looked up at him with a big smile.

"Is it mine?"

"Now it is."

"Incen-"

"Don't!"

Hero looked up at Blaise in confusion. Blaise pushed her hands down from where she had raised them to cast the spell at a pile of paper.

"I stole it." He explained. "And the ministry has tightened their security when it comes to stolen wands. If they traced it, then you'd never get away. Until I remove the tracker you can't use it unless it's an emergency."

Hero nodded. "Alright. I love you, Blaise."

Blaise kissed her and then stroked her cheek. He stepped back and gave her a tender smile and a final kiss.

"I need to show my face briefly so my mother doesn't raise the alarm early." He told her. "I'll be back in a second. Wait right here!"

Light spilled into the room as Blaise opened the door and then Hero was thrust into darkness once more as he closed it behind him. She turned the wand over and over in her hands, relishing the feeling of having a wand once more. She might not have been able to use it just yet, however she felt so much more comfortable with one in her grasp. Soon she would be able to cast whatever spell she wanted, and she couldn't wait.

The door opened again, blinding Hero, and someone entered the room.

"Blaise?"

"Not quite."

Hero gasped as two men stepped into the dim light of the torches. They had changed a lot since she had seen them last, but there was no mistaking the hulking figures of Crabbe and Goyle. Their eyes were narrowed and taking in her figure with lustful gazes and a nasty smile crossed their faces. They lunged forward and Hero managed to punch Goyle.

The large man cupped his cheek with hiss before back handing her. Hero's head swum and it took her a moment to recover. Her punch had barely done anything. She looked down at the wand in her hand.

Well, Blaise had said to use it only in an emergency and this classified as an emergency. If she didn't defend herself then they would either kill her or rape her, and she'd be damned if they did either. Not when she had a wand.

"Stupefy!" She yelled.

There was a bright flash of light and when it cleared, Crabbe and Goyle were still standing. The only thing that had changed were the smirks on their faces which had gotten bigger and the wand she was holding had been replaced with a rubber chicken. Horrified, Hero dropped it and backed away.

"What did you do?" She demanded.

"We didn't do anything. It was all Blaise's idea. Isn't that right, Blaise?" Crabbe said to the darkness.

Two shadows Hero hadn't noticed before stepped forward into the light and Hero let out a small cry. Blaise stood in front of her but instead of the soft smile he usually wore when he saw her there was a cold smirk. His eyes that used to look at her with adoration were flat and cruel. Standing beside him was the ugly, acne scarred face of Marcus Flint.

"Blaise?" Hero whispered.

"You know, you have the Weasley Twins to thank for that wand. I always did like their practical jokes, and I have to say, that one was priceless." Blaise drawled. "I can't believe you fell for it!"

"I thought you loved me." Hero hissed, glaring.

"How could I love you? A filthy prostitute." Blaise spat at her feet for good measure. "But there is one thing you are good for, eh boys?"

The other three men laughed darkly and the four advanced on her predatorily. Hero backed up some more and mentally flinched as her back hit the smooth stone wall. She glanced around her for a weapon and her eyes fell on the flaming torch.

"Fuck you." She snarled.

In a quick movement, she grabbed the torch out of the bracket and brandished it at her attackers. The men all leapt back to avoid the flame catching on their clothes. Flint leapt forward to grab it out of her hand and Hero pressed it to his arm. Flint let out a pained cry and it distracted Hero long enough for Goyle to knock the torch out of her hand.

Crabbe slammed into her and crashed to the floor. A jolt of pain shot through her head and she let out a cry, tears springing to her eyes. He straddled her and Hero twisted and turned, trying to get him off. Once she would have been strong enough to do it, but years of malnourishment had weakened her significantly. She was helpless as he tore at her baby doll. She whimpered as he exposed her breasts for him and the others to see.

Flint had healed his hand with a spell and was now standing beside Blaise staring at Hero's breasts. She snarled at him, spitting at him. Flint's face contorted in face and he kicked her in the face.

"Hey! Don't leave any marks on her! Not visible to my mother at least. She'll kill me if I detract her worth to the customers because she's got a broken nose or something." Blaise snapped, flicking his wand and healing her injury with a muttered spell.

Hero suddenly cried out as Crabbe thrust himself into her. She was dry and it felt like she was being torn in two. A tear trickled down her cheek and more followed as he kept on plunging into her. She wasn't going to be helped by any of the men around her as they watched on, casually masturbating to the scene. She felt herself fill with hatred as she looked at Blaise. She had been weak and had allowed her to believe that he loved her. But it had all been lies and it had gotten her nothing but pain.

She felt her back scrape against the rough slabs of stone underneath her as Crabbe's thrusts bodily moved her. It was a different pain from the one radiated from her privates and focussing on it seemed to lessen the other one. She allowed herself to get lost in her mind, cursing herself for falling in love with that snake, and before she knew it, Crabbe was letting out a groan as he spilled his seed inside of her. Madame Zabini made sure they took a contraception potion every day and the brothel had an enchantment on it developed especially for bordellos that prevented the girls working there from getting a sexually transmitted infection or disease, so Hero supposed, in a detached manner, she wouldn't have to worry about that.

"My turn." Blaise growled.

More tears fell from Hero's eyes as Blaise moved to replace Crabbe. She met his eyes as he pushed a finger into her. He looked away and smirked. There was blood. Blood would make things a lot easier for him. Meeting her eyes once more, he thrust inside her.

Hero never once looked away from Blaise's eyes and with each jerk forward of his hips her hatred and contempt for him grew. Silently she vowed to make him pay. When he was done, Goyle and Flint each had their turn. The group left her alone in the dark and re-joined the rest of the men milling around the brothel. It was Penelope that found her. Worried that her friend might be having a break down as she was taking so long, the brown haired woman had asked Opal to cover her at the bar and had gone to the store room to find Hero.

She gasped when she saw her friend curled up in a ball, one of the straps of the baby doll broken and lying across her chest. Hero had attempted to recover some of her dignity by pulling back on her pants and pulling up the top of the baby doll, but other than that she hadn't moved much.

"Hero? What happened?" Penelope whispered, pulling her friend into her arms and gently rocking her.

"I was tricked." Hero's voice was dead and monotonous. "He made me believe he loved me and that we were going to escape, but then he and his friends raped me."

Penelope hugged her tightly. "I'm so sorry, Hero."

"I can't take it anymore. I'm getting out of here." Hero spat, the fight and spirit that they believed that broken returning to her eyes. "And you, Estella and Opal are coming with me. We're going to be free."

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Please Read and Review. So Blaise wasn't who he said he was and he was tricking her. Severus Snape will appear shortly, I promise you :)


	5. Chapter 4 - A Scheme

Another nice long chapter :D I did do some research when I wrote this :)

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**Chapter Four**

**A Scheme**

The next morning the sun didn't even try and peek out from the clouds. It seemed to sense the turmoil and rage inside of Hero and stayed hidden. It didn't want to view the aftermath of the events that the moon had witnessed the night before.

"Hero? Are you alright?"

Opal peered around the door frame into the red room. Behind her were Estella and Penelope. Madame Zabini had ignored Hero's request to have the night off as she was really unwell and had made her bed two other men that night. By the end of it, she had been so exhausted, both mentally and physically, that she passed out before the last customer had finished. No doubt he had complained to her mistress, but Hero didn't care.

"I'm not alright now, but I will be."

Opal, Estella and Penelope entered the room and moved to the bed. Opal slipped into the bed so she was facing Hero while Penelope and Estella slipped in behind her, Estella closest to Hero with one of her hands gripping Penelope's while the other wrapped around Hero's waist. Opal linked her fingers with Estella's and the threes lay around their hurting friend to provide her with as much comfort as they could.

They were silent for a very long time, the heavy red curtains blocking out the dim light that got through the storm clouds. Tears rolled down each of their cheeks and they cried not only for Hero but for all that they had lost.

"We're going away."

Hero's voice made them jump and Opal met her eyes with her own wide ones.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm running away, and you're coming with me." Hero promised them. "I have an idea on how to do it too."

The door burst open and the tall, elegant figure of one of the other girls stormed into the room. Her lightly tanned flawless skin seemed even darker in the gloom of the room and she was wearing an ankle length night gown with a slit up to her thigh on one side. She narrowed her hazel eyes at them as she entered.

"What the hell are you all doing in here? Madame Zabini was furious when she found that you weren't in your bed. She was even angrier with you, Hero, when she realised you hadn't slept in your bed at all." She sneered.

"Go away Victoria!" Estella snapped.

Victoria crossed her arms over her flat stomach and raised one perfect eyebrow at them. "What's going on? I demand to know."

Hero slipped from the bed and walked over to Victoria. She looked the taller woman in the eyes and stared at her. Victoria's gaze shifted uncomfortably away from her own and Hero's eyes flicked to her neck. There were bruises in the exact shape of fingers either side of Victoria's neck. She had clearly tried to hide them with make-up, but she could still see the outline through the foundation. It seemed that Victoria hadn't had it easy either, so perhaps she would keep their secret and maybe even go with them.

"We're escaping."

Victoria's eyes widened and immediately snapped to meet Hero's. "What?"

"I said we're escaping. Do you want to come with us?"

Victoria let out an incredulous laugh. "Where the hell are you going to go? The Muggle world? You know as well as I do that as soon as they take it over, which they will do, then you'll be right back here. So if you're asking if I want a taste of freedom before having it ripped away from me, then I'd rather take my chances here."

Hero shook her head. "I have contacts that are hiding and I have a bag of tricks that can help us. I just need to get to it, and then we can get as far away from here as possible and never come back. What do you say?"

Before Victoria could reply, the door to the room opened once more and Madame Zabini stormed inside. Her cheeks had more colour in them than any of the girls had seen in a long time and she was glaring at them.

"Hero! Why did you not sleep in your bed last night? I had a patron complain to me last night that you fell asleep on him!" She snarled.

Hero bowed her head. "I was unwell last night, mistress. I'm much better now. How can I make it up to you?"

Madame Zabini stuck her nose in the air and glowered at the group with an imperious sneer. The girls immediately felt cowed and the three in the bed climbed out instantly, moving to stand beside Hero and Victoria.

"You and your little friends will be at my beck and call today. If I want anything, you four will be my go to girls. Is that understood?"

"Yes, mistress." Opal, Hero, Estella and Penelope intoned.

"Good. Estella, when are you are ready I want my cigarettes, ready rolled, delivered to me in my quarters." Madame Zabini sneered.

She turned and swept from the room, leaving the girls alone. Hero moved away from then walked over to the old armoire. She dug inside it, pulling out the bedding and clothes inside. She gave a pleased cry and moved over to the vanity.

"What are you doing?" Opal gasped. "You had a massive trauma last night. You need to rest whenever you can."

Hero held up a moth ball. "I was looking for these."

"Why?" Victoria frowned.

"Well I noticed them in the armoire the other day, and this vague idea came to me when I saw them." Hero began. "It was just a thought until last night. After the patron left and I'd passed out, I woke up for a while. I was so sore that I couldn't move and I realised that I was going to be in trouble in the morning. Suddenly the exact idea of what to do hit me."

She grabbed a vase of flowers that one of her patrons had left her and began to strike the moth ball. It crumbled under her ministrations and turned into a fine power. She scooped it up and put it into an empty make up pot she found in the drawer of her vanity. She repeated her actions with several other mothballs before handing the pot to Estella.

"Madame Zabini smokes lots of cigarette in one day. When you're rolling the cigarettes, put some of this in them. They'll make her sick and she'll need us to do things for her, so we won't have to be out selling ourselves tonight and the fact that we aren't around won't raise any suspicions." Hero explained.

"What about me?" Victoria snapped.

"Oh, I get it!" Penelope cried, catching on. "We can say that Madame Zabini wants to see you and then we can all leave out the back door."

Hero nodded. "Precisely."

As predicted, Madame Zabini had been calling the four girls to do everything for her and had been steadily making her way through the cigarettes that Estella had rolled for her. Slowly the chemicals in the mothballs were making their way around her system, causing her stomach to roll. So far they hadn't properly hit and Madame Zabini was still feeling well enough to set up the business for the night.

Seductive music had been playing for hours and the waiting girls were slowly dancing to the beat. A few patrons had filtered inside but the business hadn't picked up just yet. It would later in the evening, but by then the five were hoping to be gone.

"Satine what the fuck are you doing? I said smile seductively, not like you just stubbed your toe and you're trying to smile through the pain." Madame Zabini yelled.

Sweat began to gather on her brow and even the blush on her cheeks could not hide how pale she went. Hero and Opal shared a look as the brothel owner swayed on the spot before catching herself on a nearby chair and putting a hand to her mouth. Not a moment later the Zabini matriarch walked quickly across the room to the ladies' bathroom. Hero nodded at Penelope who took the hint and followed their mistress.

Their plan was working. Opal seemed to be shaking with excitement as she glanced around the room, meeting the gazes of Estella, who was cleaning the bar, and Victoria, who was draped across the lap of a patron whispering nothings into his ear. She smiled at Hero and took her hand.

"I can't believe we're doing this." She giggled.

Hero gently squeezed her hand. She could see the light returning to Opal's face and her old self was beginning to shine through once more. She could tell that the further away Opal got from Madame Zabini's, the more of her old self would return.

Said brothel owner emerged from the bathroom a twenty minutes later, dabbing at the side of her mouth with a handkerchief and being held up by Penelope. She wandered over to the women and summoned Estella over.

"I'm going to need to rest. Estella, tell Victoria that she is in charge and then bring me some lemon tea. Penelope bring me bowl, Opal go and get me some anti-sickness potion and Hero fetch me some new blankets." She ordered.

The girls nodded before going their separate ways, Penelope escorting Madame Zabini up the stairs while the others went off to do their duties. Estella sidled over to where Victoria was now kissing the patron's neck.

"Excuse me, Mister Janson, can I borrow Victoria for a moment?" Estella asked, giving the patron her best smile.

"I'll be right back, baby." Victoria purred, kissing the patron before sliding off his lap and joining Estella.

"Madame Zabini says you're in charge tonight. Get ready. We go in an hour." Estella whispered to her.

Victoria's eyes widened. "That long? Janson will want to take me upstairs by then. Could you get me sooner?"

Estella glanced around. "I'll send Penelope down to get you. She's getting a bowl, but I've got to make some lemon tea before we go."

Victoria nodded. She walked away from the blonde and returned to her seat on Mister Janson's lap.

"Now where we, baby?" She whispered.

Half an hour passed and Penelope came down the stairs. A subtle look was passed between the two and Victoria dragged herself away from Janson, passing him off to another girl named Angel. She asked one of the other girls if they would take over before slipping away with Penelope. They disappeared into the store room. Penelope had already gone on and gathered some bags and cloaks for the girls.

Another half hour passed as the two waited in the dark. Opal, Hero and Estella entered the store room. Hero went quiet and stared at the spot where she had been attacked the night before.

It seemed so long ago that she had been waiting in this very room for Blaise to come back and whisk her away. If he had been telling the truth then she would have been miles away by now, perhaps lounging in a bed with him in a motel somewhere. She would have been blissfully happy and no doubt looking forward to the rest of her life free from fear and worry that she would be dragged back to Madame Zabini's. However now she was going to be living in fear that she and her friends would be found and she was sure that the punishment for poisoning their mistress would be a lot harsher than simply running away.

She jumped as Opal put her hand on her shoulder. "Hero? Are you coming?"

Hero nodded. She wrapped the cloak left for her around her shoulders and slung the bag over her shoulder. She pulled up the hood so it obscured her face and hair and followed the others out of the door.

If anyone had looked out of their window that night, or the passing witches and wizards had been sober, then it would have been suspicious to them to see five cloaked figures running through the rain away from Knockturn Alley.

But no one cared, and so the disappearance of the five girls was not discovered until the next day. Madame Zabini's angered yell could be heard several shops away at the entrance of Knockturn Alley.

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Please Read and Review. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The girls have finally escaped and Victoria has been introduced. Next chapter is when Severus Snape is introduced ;)


	6. Chapter 5 - Snape

I think this might be the last chapter for today, haha. I'm sleepy and I've written over 8,000 words today! That's the same length as my dissertation was, lol.

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**Chapter Five**

**Snape**

As the rain poured down outside, the darkness of the weather seemed mirrored by the darkness inside the pub. The five girls were huddled around a table, Estella and Penelope cuddling up to each other and holding hands. Victoria took a sip of the fire whiskey she had ordered and paid for out of the tips she had received that night.

"Where do we go now?" Estella hissed. "I mean we're only in the Leaky Cauldron. They'll find us."

Hero looked up and met Tom's eyes. The Leaky Cauldron might have been taken over and run by the Carrow twins, but they had keep Tom the Barkeeper on so they didn't have to do any work and were free teach at Hogwarts. A shot of recognition went through the gummy bartender's eyes. Hero got to her feet and quickly walked over it him, sliding onto an empty bar stool.

"Is the floo network still open?" She muttered.

Tom nodded. "Supposed to charge for it, but you and your friends can use it for free. Good luck, miss."

Hero gave a small smile. "Thanks Tom. I owe you one."

"You don't owe me nothing." Tom assured her.

Hero slid from the bar stool and returned to her seat with the other girls. The four gave her a curious look.

"We can use the floo network." She told them.

"And floo to where?" Victoria snapped, downing the rest of her whiskey. "There's nowhere we can go."

"Actually, there is. Aberforth Dumbledore owns the Hogs Head and no one really goes in there. We can floo into the pub and then find somewhere go from there." Hero suggested. "I hid my bag of tricks near there."

The girls glanced around at the pub. It was late so there weren't many customers in the pub. Now was the opportune time to go. One by one they went to the fireplace, took a handful of white floo powder and threw it into the flames they stood in. With a roar of green, they disappeared.

Hero was the last to floo away. The flames licked her cloak without scorching it, as if the fire automatically knew that she was flooing away. She gave another sad smile to Tom and threw the fine white powder into the flames.

"Hogs Head, Hogsmede." She called.

A number of fireplaces spun by her and all the turning was making her dizzy and her head light. Closing her eyes made it worse as the sensations were heightened, something she had learnt on her first floo trip so many years ago. When she finally stopped spinning she stumbled out of the fireplace and was caught by Opal.

"Thanks." She gasped out.

"Still don't like flooing?" Opal giggled.

"Nope." Hero shook her head. "Come on, we have to go and find my bag."

Victoria wrinkled her nose as she looked out of the window. The wind blasted past rattling the windows of the Hogs Head and sneaking in through the cracks in the panes. Rain trailed lazily down the glass and pattered loudly as new drops first made contact before joining the others in their slow journey to the bottom of the pane.

"It's really stormy out there."

Hero appeared at her shoulder. "I need to get my bag. I've got some clothes in it. We can't go around wearing our brothel outfits can we?"

"Let's go before anyone comes in here. The last thing we did is if Aberforth isn't running the pub anymore to be found." Opal said.

Hero pulled her hood back up before pushing open the door and walking outside. The wind pulled at the cloaks the girls wore and they struggled to keep them closed against the icy draft. They were only wearing corsets, baby dolls and tiny nighties under the plain capes fastened around them so they were even more aware of the cold. Penelope and Estella huddled close together for both warmth and comfort. The ever present worry that they were going to be caught at any moment hung over them like a thick cloud. But still they pressed on through Hogsmede.

"Where are we going?" Victoria whined, holding onto her hood as a particularly strong gust of wind threatened to pull it back.

Opal looked around her with a frown before her face lit up and she grinned. "I know where we're going. We're going to the shrieking shack aren't we?"

Hero nodded and her voice was lost to the wind as she confirmed it. She carried on leading them through the village. Finally they came to the barbed wire fence that surrounding the shrieking shack. The decrepit building leaned to one side as though the force of the storm was pushing it over and the building had given up the fight. It looked so eerie as Hero remembered it. Seeing a gap in the barbed wire, she ducked under it and started towards the shack.

"We're not going in there are we?" Victoria cried. "It's called the shrieking shack for a reason you know."

"Relax." Opal smiled. "It's not haunted, and there's nothing in there."

"I hope you're right." Victoria grumbled, following as the others in the group followed Hero's lead.

The shack seemed to groan as the five women entered it. Victoria wrinkled her nose as the dust swirled into the air and spiders scuttled across the floor. It was clear that the shack had been left alone for a long time and that no one had even thought about it. Hero led them deeper into it and the group peered around curiously. For Opal, Victoria, Estella and Penelope it was the first time that they had ever been inside. They had all viewed it before, having all attended Hogwarts, but they hadn't seen the inside. After all, Opal only knew it wasn't haunted because of Hero.

"We can stay here for tonight." Hero whispered. "I'm going to head into Hogsmede and see if I can find anyone I know. Someone has to still be around."

"Do you want us to come with you?" Opal asked.

Hero knelt down by the fireplace and began hitting some floor boards. She soon found the one she was looking for. It gave a hollow thud as she hit it. Reaching for it she found a gap and pulled. The floor board lifted to reveal a hiding spot filled by a dusty, faded beaded bag. Hero tugged it out of the hiding spot with a grin. She pulled it open and put her hand in. Slowly she reached in a bit further and then a bit further. She kept leaning forward until her entire arm was inside the bag. She was silent, a look of concentration on her face, as she rummaged around searching for something.

"Ah ha!" She cried, pulling her prize out of the bag.

The cloak she held in her hand was silvery and rippled like water as she ran her fingers over it. A fond smile crossed her face before she looked up at Opal to reply.

"I'll be fine. Beside it's windy out there and it'll be hard enough to keep completely covered with just one person under the cloak, let alone two."

"Is that an invisibility cloak?" Estella gasped.

Hero nodded. "It belonged to my friend. Just before I was captured, I came here and hid it under the floorboard. I'd had a feeling that they were following me so I did what I could to ensure that if I ever escaped then I'd have something to fall back on."

Reaching back into the bag, Hero pulled out some clothes. She threw them to the other girls before grabbing some clothes for herself. Years of being in the prostitute business had killed any sense of modesty the girls had so they were happy to change in front of each other. When dressed, Hero was shocked to find that the jeans that were one tight on her were now slightly baggy. She hadn't realised how much weight she had lost. She adjusted her pink hoodie before tying her hair up in a loose ponytail. Pulling some trainers she had found in the bag, and stood up and looked at her friends.

"I'll be back soon." She smiled.

She swung the cloak so it covered her shoulders and it wrapped around her body, making it disappear from view. Pulling it over her head, she walked through the shack to the front door. It was weird for the others to see the door open and close on its own and to hear their friend's footsteps travel across the floor without seeing her.

They only hoped she would be safe and find someone who could help her.

Severus Snape slumped at the bar as he nursed his third fire whiskey of the evening. After Potter had been killed in the war, things had gone downhill rather quickly for the Order and the light side. Voldemort had murdered the pivotal members of the Order and had quickly taken over the government. Soon he was ruling the wizarding world with an iron first. Thankfully he hadn't discovered Severus was spy, but without the Order he was lost in a sea of darkness.

It was stressful so he was frequent visitor to the Three Broomsticks, where he chose to drown his sorrows in his favourite liquor, Fire Whiskey, before stumbling back up to Hogwarts, which was now run by Deatheaters.

A strong gust of wind blew the door open and the rain poured inside for the duration of the time it stayed open before crashing closed again. He glanced over his shoulder before returning to his drink.

"That was a big gust." Rosmerta commented.

Severus merely grunted in reply, causing the barmaid to roll her eyes and walk away. She should have known better than to even attempt to talk to him.

"Professor Snape?"

Severus sighed at the sound of a woman's voice. Since the dark side had won, women had thrown themselves at him whenever they saw him as it was widely known that he was a member of Voldemort's inner circle.

"I don't want company." He snarled.

"Professor Snape."

The woman was persistent, he'd give her that. He whirled round to shout at her and his voice died in his throat. Standing before him, thinner than he had ever seen her and dressed in jeans and a pink hoodie, was Hermione Granger.

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Please Read and Review. I hope you enjoyed this chapter :D Things should get very interesting from here on!


	7. Chapter 6 - Granger

Okay so I said the last chapter would be the last one, but this one really is. I'm making so many mistakes because I am so tired! Hopefully more will come to me. I haven't actually planned this one, so where it's going before it loops back to the start is pretty much a mystery to me too XD

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**Chapter Six**

**Granger**

Hero stared as the dark haired man in front of her widened his eyes as he took her in. She was thankful that she wasn't dressed in the tiny purple nightie she had been wearing when she left the brothel as his gaze was so scrutinising that it left her feeling naked despite wearing more layers than she usually did.

"Hermione Granger?" He hissed.

Hero started as he used her real name. She hadn't heard it since she first came to Madame Zabini's and met Opal. Before that she hadn't heard it since she was captured. The men who bedded her knew exactly who she was and tended to use her fake names as a sort of mockery of her. Instantly the memories came flooding back.

"_Harry!" Hermione screamed as she ran through the bodies. _

_Ron's strong arms wrapped around her middle as they watched helplessly as Harry and Voldemort duelled. They were battling on the grounds of Hogwarts, it always came down to Hogwarts, and the battle had been raging for hours. Finally it had come to a head when the two went head to head as the prophecy stated. _

_There was a bright flash of green and Harry fell to the floor. Hermione let out an agonised scream and tried to get free from Ron, who tightened his grip on her. They had no idea that in his mind Harry was deciding whether or not to return to the world of the living. One factor made him decide. _

_Ginny. _

_She had been killed only moments before and she, along with Dumbledore, had appeared to him. They gave him an ultimatum and Harry was tired of fighting. He had fought for so long and with four horcruxes gone, he was sure that Ron and Hermione could find the other three and destroy them. He just wanted to be at peace. _

_So he let go. With Harry dead all hope within the Order and the light side diminished, and they withdrew from the battle. Many were dead and the survivors needed to regroup before they decided what to do next. _

Shortly after the battle, Ron had been killed during a raid on the burrow. Molly Weasley had taken on Bellatrix and they had ended up killing each other. That had been the last time that Hermione had seen any of the Weasley clan. She had been captured shortly after.

_Hermione weaved through the crowds in Muggle London, using the windows of the shops to watch who was following her. There was a bearded man just behind her that seemed to mirror her movements. Frowning, she darted across the road and into an alley. _

_The man appeared at the mouth of the alley as she apperated. She made sure to apperate to numerous locations before appearing in Hogsmede, biding time to hide her most precious possession. Her beaded bag. _

_Hermione ran towards the shrieking shack. During their time on the move when they had found Slytherin's Locket, the trio had stayed in the shack for a night or two. While there Hermione had discovered a loose floorboard with a space under it perfect for hiding things. It would be the best spot for her beaded bag. She knew she was going to be captured but if there was a chance that she was ever going to get free then she would need it. _

_Once the bag was hidden, she started to run back towards Hogwarts. If she could get to the forbidden forest then she might be alright. Grawp still lived there and she had made a deal with the centaurs not long ago. She finally reached the borderline of the forbidden forest, the part that was not on Hogwart's grounds and ran inside. By now the bearded man had to have alerted the others. _

_Her legs propelled her forward as she ran, her hair flying out behind her and branches whipping her skin. There would be bruises tomorrow, but she was sure that if she didn't get away now then she would be facing worse than that. _

_A man suddenly appeared in front of her and she caught herself with a gasp. Her eyes widened as his face contorted into a cruel smirk. _

"_Did you think you could get away? Face it, girlie, your side's lost. There's no point in fighting us now." Rookwood growled. _

_She raised her wand and pointed it at him. "I can try."_

_There were several pops and more men surrounded her. She glanced around and felt her gut clench. She was hopelessly out numbered. There was no getting out of this. _

"_Get her. Take her wand." Rookwood commanded. _

_She managed to get a few spells off to incapacitate some of the men before one of them managed to grab a hold of her wand. She watched with horrified eyes as he handed it to Rookwood who snapped it in half. _

"_No!" She cried, tears leaking from her eyes. _

"_I told you that you wouldn't get away." Rookwood sneered, stepping forward. _

_Her wand might have been snapped, but her rebellious spirit hadn't been broken. She gathered as much saliva in her mouth as she could and launched it at Rookwood. It landed square in his eye. He back handed her and her lip split. _

_She glared up at him and he returned her glare with one of his own. He turned his back on her and threw her wand to the floor, stamping on it so it broke some more. _

"_I'll come and visit you when that stubborn streak has gone. I always quite liked the thought of fucking you." He snarled. _

Hermione gasped as the memories stopped rolling over her. She looked at her former professor with a small frown on her face.

"Miss Granger, are you alright?"

Hermione shook her head. "It's been a while since I've been called that."

Severus glanced around them. If anyone saw her and recognised her then they were in big trouble. He pulled his wand out and muttered a spell. Hermione's hair lengthened and turned a raven black while her eyes remained the same. Her nose changed to a sloping point instead of her usual button nose.

"Come over here."

He gently guided her to a booth at the back that was more secluded than the other ones. He watched as she slid into it and glanced around her nervously. It seemed as though she thought that someone was going to appear and grab hold of her.

Hermione turned and noticed he was looking at her and looked at her hands shyly. "Sorry. My friends and I sort of ran away and they're going to be looking for us."

Severus leant forward. "Ran away from where?"

A blush raced across Hermione's cheeks. She didn't really want to tell him as it was too strange to talk about the brothel with a man who used to be her teacher. If she was Hero she could look Deatheaters right in the eye and not flinch. Heck, she could even sleep with them without feeling embarrassed. But as Hermione she suddenly felt very ashamed of what she had been doing for the past five years.

Severus peered at her as she averted her eyes. Where had she been to cause a blush to rush across her face like that? He hadn't heard of her being held in any prison during any meetings. Though most blood traitors, half bloods and muggleborns were pushed into slavery or-

Realisation hit him like a ton of bricks and he cleared his throat awkwardly. "Oh."

Hermione tucked some hair behind her ear and looked at the table. "So, uh, where's the Order staying? We need somewhere we can hide out until all the fuss dies down. We're at the shrieking shack right now but I don't think that's the safest place for us to stay long term. We need to find somewhere else."

Severus heaved a deep sigh and his shoulders slumped. "Granger, there is no Order anymore."

Hermione's eyes widened. "What?"

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Please Read and Review. So that's how Harry died and there's the revelation that the Order is no more. We'll find out more about that in the next chapter :)


	8. Chapter 7 - Names and Introductions

I think I'm all written out after yesterday haha, but I did manage to write this chapter :)

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**Chapter Seven**

**Names and Introductions**

Hermione looked down at the old and pit marked table. The grain was worn thanks to years and years of customers placing their drinks on the surface and lonely patrons picking at the varnish. Some marks were clearly from misfired spells, a tale tell sign of the history of the pub.

"All of them are gone?" She whispered looking back at him.

Severus took a long swig of his fire whiskey. "Most of them are dead. The Dark Lord killed some of the strongest members, such as Minerva, Lupin and Tonks, and some of the others were forced into slavery, or…"

"Prostitution." Hermione finished his sentence for him.

He nodded. "The ones that managed to escape went abroad to the countries untouched by our war. I believe Kingsley is the slave to the new Minister for Magic, and last I heard Emmeline Vance was in Russia."

Hermione sighed and put her head in her hands. She closed her eyes and took a few moments to gather her thoughts. She had hoped she could count on the Order when she found them, but this was putting a wrench in her plans. Without the Order then Voldemort would continue to rule and all those living as slaves and all those forced into prostitution would have to endure the treatment of those like Blaise Zabini.

Severus observed his former pupil. He had never seen her look so defeated. Even when he had berated her with his cruellest remarks which would have made any one else cry when he had taught her she had still levelled him with a defiant look and her head held up high with pride. She had been so confident back then, but she so different now. Her shoulders slumped and her head was lowered. The defiance though still burned her eyes. It was hidden behind the cloud of despair that had appeared when her hopes were dashed, but he could still spot the glint in her eye.

After a moment, Hermione looked up. Her face was weary and she seemed paler than she had been moments before. The stress was taking its toll on her. In the last day she had been raped and betrayed by someone she thought had loved her, had poisoned someone, had run away with her friends from the brothel and had discovered that nearly all her friends were dead or were slaves.

"What do I do now?" She asked tiredly.

She had always been the one with the plan. When she had been on the run with Harry and Ron, she had come up with the plan and Ron had come up with the strategy on how to put it into effect. Now she had no plan. Her only plan had been to get them to Hogsmede so she could find the bag and perhaps find Snape or one of the other Order members. After all Hogwarts had always been the centre of things when it came to Harry, Voldemort and the Order and she couldn't imagine them leaving it. McGonagall would have stayed in that school for as long as she could, even feigning agreement with the Deatheaters, to just keep the pupils safe. Hermione suspected that that was what she had done; only Voldemort knew that she was an Order member and in a power play had killed her. She cursed herself silently. She was such an idiot. What was thinking dragging four girls with her when she escaped, only to put them in danger when she ran out of options of what to do?

Severus downed his drink. "Take me to the others. I have a plan."

The dust clung to every surface in the shack and seemed to cover even Penelope and Estella as they lay in the bed facing each other. Opal was off somewhere upstairs investigating and Victoria had taken up residence in the window in the front room watching out for Hero's return. Penelope gently ran her thumb over Estella's knuckles as the couple held hands. She watched as her finger moved over her lover's skin.

"What are you thinking?"

Penelope looked up and met Estella's inquiring eyes. "How happy I am that we can be together now we're free."

Estella leant forward and brushed her lips across Penelope's. The brunette let out a soft moan and pressed herself closer to her girlfriend. The blonde's free hand barely grazed her skin as it swept down the curve of her lover's body. She found a slip of skin exposed between the waistband of her skinny jeans, which looked like normal jeans on Penelope, and her violet tank top. She began to stroke her hip softly. Her mouth moved to Penelope's jaw and began to place small kisses along it, nibbling softly and intermittently.

"Mmm, Estella." Penelope sighed.

Estella pulled back and looked at her. "My real name's Helena."

Penelope opened her closed eyes. "What?"

"Before I was captured, my name was Helena."

Penelope reached up and brushed some of Estella's hair back from her face. She leaned up and kissed her. Estella or Helena, she loved this woman and she adored the fact that she felt so comfortable with her that she could reveal something so private. She pulled away and placed her lips to Estella's ear.

"Mine was Sienna." Penelope whispered.

Estella giggled. "You don't seem like a Sienna."

"And you don't look like a Helena."

The two women lay, entangled, studying each other and testing out each other's true names in their minds. Something just didn't feel right about it. It was as if their true selves had died the day they were captured, and no matter how much they wanted to, they could never go back to being Helena and Sienna.

"I want you to call me Penelope." The brunette said after a moment. "It was Penelope that you fell in love with, not Sienna, and if I hadn't been captured then I never would have met you. I'm not ashamed of what they made me do because it led me to fall in love with the most beautiful and sexy woman I have ever met."

Estella pouted. "Should I just go then? It seems like you love this other girl."

Penelope let out a loud laugh. "I was talking about you, idiot. So should I call you Helena from now on?"

Estella shook her head. "No. I think Estella suits me more than Helena ever did."

The couple leaned it to share another gentle kiss when the door to the shack burst open and a harsh breeze swept through the shack. The two jumped apart as the door hit the wall with a resounding bang. They climbed off the bed and crossed to the hall, their hands automatically linking together.

Hero stood in front of them with a man dressed in black robes. His shoulder length black hair hung around his face limply and his large nose looked as though it had been broken at some point in his life. Despite his greasy locks and bent nose, the man was sort of handsome. He had a sexy air about him that was most likely linked to his mysterious aura.

"Where's Opal?" The curly haired witch asked.

There were footsteps on the stairs, causing some dust to fall from the ceiling as the vibrations shook it loose. "I'm here."

The man's eyes widened. "Miss Lovegood?"

Opal gave a wry smile. "I haven't heard that name in years."

"Lovegood?" Estella looked at her.

Opal giggled. "What? You thought my name was really Opal Moonstone? Like you my name was changed when they dropped me off at the brothel. I'm really Luna Lovegood."

Opal's blue eyes drifted closed as she began to whisper her own name over and over. Her smile got bigger and bigger with each time she said the words. She finally opened her eyes and looked at Hero.

"Oh Hermione, I forgot how much I liked my name."

Hero gave her a look of understanding. "Me too."

"So, what do we call you both now?" Penelope asked, her free hand on her hip as she looked between the two.

"You can call me Hero if you want, but I'm taking my name back. I am Hermione Granger." Hero lifted her head high as she spoke, a smirk on her lips.

"I want my name back too. I think I'll like being Luna again." Opal beamed.

Hero or, as she wanted to be called, Hermione looked back at the man she was with. It seemed both she and Luna knew him. Penelope narrowed her eyes at him. He seemed familiar. Had she bedded him during her time in the brothel? No, that wasn't it. Perhaps it was from before they had been captured.

"Professor Snape?" Victoria gasped as she stepped into the hallway.

"Professor Snape? The potion's master at Hogwarts?" Penelope gaped.

No wonder she recognised him. He had been one of the most feared teachers in the entire school. She had managed keep under his radar during her time there, so she doubted he remembered her, but she remembered him. Victoria did too by the sounds of it. Estella wouldn't know him though. Before the war her pureblood mother had home-schooled her while her Muggle father had gone to work.

Severus raised an eyebrow as a tall girl recognised him. He couldn't say he recognised her. He had taught many students in his years as a professor and he didn't remember them all. If it wasn't for the fact that Hermione had been such a know-it-all and part of the golden trio, and he had taught both her and Luna recently, then he probably would have forgotten them too. He glanced at Hermione.

"Oh, right. Professor this is Victoria, Penelope, Estella and of course you know Luna and I." She quickly introduced him.

"They're not our real names," Penelope blurted "but Estella and I have decided we want to keep them."

Hermione gave them a small smile. She honestly couldn't imagine calling them anything else. They had grown to suit their new monikers and privately she was very pleased that they agreed.

"So what's the plan?" Victoria asked, crossing her arms and looking at her former teacher and Hermione.

Severus glanced around the shack. "Tell me, Granger, where's the tunnel that leads to the whomping willow?"

"It's over there." Hermione pointed to the next room. "Why?"

Severus looked at her. "It's time to go back to Hogwarts."

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Please Read and Review. Anyone else think of A Very Potter Musical when reading the last line? haha.


	9. Chapter 8 - Hogwarts

Sorry this is a really bad chapter :/ Just feels like I've run out of steam haha. I know where things are going it's just a case of writing it.

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**Chapter Eight**

**Hogwarts**

The tunnel from the Shrieking Shack was just as Hermione remembered it. Cobwebs hung from the stone ceiling in thick clumps and the earth floor beneath their feet dusted the bottoms of their trousers and shoes a dark brown. They had to crouch a little to be able to walk, but at least it wasn't as much as Severus. He was taller than them all so he looked very awkward with his body contorted so he didn't hit his head. They were walking single file with Severus at the front followed by Hermione, then Luna, then Penelope, then Estella with Victoria following behind. A fairly large black spider ran out in front of Victoria and she gave a little scream. The group turned to look at her.

"There was a spider." She hissed.

Hermione chuckled, reminded of Ron's hatred of the creatures. "Believe me that one is nothing compared to the ones in the forbidden forest. There's a nest of Acromantulas in there and they are huge."

She remembered the descriptions of the spiders had made her shiver as the boys filled her in on everything that had happened while she had been petrified. She didn't even mind spiders, but the idea of a giant spider was enough to scare even those who liked them. She honestly didn't know _how_ Hagrid had managed to keep Aragog as a pet. Then again, Hagrid wasn't exactly like anyone else.

Hagrid.

She hadn't even thought about Hagrid. She had just assumed that the gentle giant would have stayed on at Hogwarts. It was his home after all and she couldn't imagine him living anywhere else. He especially wouldn't leave Grawp alone.

"Professor, what happened to Hagrid?" She whispered.

Severus glanced at her. "He refused to join the Deatheaters and they turned him into a slave. He still lives in Hogwarts and in his hut, but he is now bound to the school as a slave. He is made to assist the new Magical Creatures professor and to assist Filch as both Groundskeeper and Caretaker. He's not allowed off the grounds unless instructed and he's not allowed to use any magic at all, not even with that umbrella of his."

Hermione felt relief wash over her at that fact that Hagrid was still at Hogwarts. He was safe and that was all that mattered. She knew that he had liked to go off grounds and spend time in the local pub, talking to strangers and meeting people, but if it was choice between that and his life then she'd rather have him alive.

"Sorry if I'm being a bit dense, but how are we going to get into Hogwarts? I thought it had been taken over." Penelope asked.

Hermione jolted. She hadn't even thought about it. She had just assumed Severus would know what he was doing and had trusted him. How would they get in? With the school overrun by Deatheaters it wouldn't be easy.

Severus stopped abruptly as they arrived at the entrance of the tunnel. "I'm the Headmaster of Hogwarts now, and most of the professors will be in their chambers or are off the site."

The curly haired girl's head spun. He was Headmaster? She supposed if McGonagall was dead and most of the other professors were captured then he would be the most logical choice. It wasn't exactly a bad thing. After all he was a spy, albeit for an organisation that no longer existed, so there could be worse people to run it. It would make things a lot easier when getting into the school admittedly, but it was just strange.

Then again everything was strange. Hogwarts wouldn't have the same feel to it anymore, she knew that, despite the fact that some things hadn't changed. Hagrid still meandered around the grounds and lived in his hut, the corridors hadn't changed and Filch still roamed the halls, no doubt with Mrs Norris winding her way through his ankles and surveying the corridors with her yellow eyes, but the warmth and joy that once filled the atmosphere was no doubt extinguished.

"Wait here." Severus instructed.

He stepped out of the entrance. Sensing his presence, the Whomping Willow began to flail its branches viciously towards him. The tree seemed to hate anyone getting too close, regardless of who they were, and was actively attempting to get him to go. A particularly spiky branch threw itself at Severus and Hermione couldn't help the small gasp that escaped her. She remembered the last time she had encountered the tree and she didn't want to see him get hurt. It would be typical to find help and then lose it so quickly.

"Immobulus!"

The branch froze mere inches away from Severus' cool face as he shouted the spell. He hadn't even flinched as it lunged towards him. He glanced over at the tunnel and the barest hint of a smirk touched his lips he saw Hermione's wide eyes.

"Come on."

Dutifully the girls followed the dark man across Hogwart's grounds and into the castle. Luna shivered as she crossed the foyer. She had been in Hogwarts when the Deatheaters took over. She had attended classes when Severus had been made Headmaster and the other Deatheaters became teachers. They had taken a couple of weeks to move through all the students and professors. She had watched as McGonagall had been killed in front of the entire school, and she had watched as all the Muggleborns were dragged off to start their horrifying new lives. They had tried to stand up against them, her, Neville, Seamus and Dean. They had created a new DA to smuggle students out, but they had been caught. She and Neville were only spared because they were Purebloods. Seamus had been killed right away as he attempted to attack Alecto Carrow, and Dean had been made an example of.

Soon after she had been sent to Madame Zabini's Brothel and she had stayed there ever since. Being back in the castle made Luna's skin crawl. The dark atmosphere still clung to the bricks and mortar. Even the hog in the entrance hall seemed more sinister than it ever had before.

"You used to go _here_?" Estella whispered to Penelope. "It's so creepy."

Penelope took her hand and gently squeezed it. "It never used to be this way."

Severus turned to them. "Shh, keep quiet."

The girls fell silent. They didn't say a word as they crossed the entrance hall and walked up the stairs. Hermione frowned. She knew the way they were going. She had walked this path many times over her years at Hogwarts. But why were they going that way? It didn't make sense. Surely Severus would hide them in the Room of Requirements. That would be the safest place wouldn't it?

Though as she rounded the corner, all sense of familiarity faded into a sense of despair. Where the portrait of the Fat Lady used to hang was now blank. No portrait hung there and no entrance to the common room could be seen. It was as if there was nothing there at all. As if Gryffindor Tower had been wiped off the map.

"What happened?" Hermione whispered.

"When Voldemort took over and stationed Snape as Headmaster he decreed that Gryffindor House was to be removed from Hogwarts. The tower was to be sealed off to all and all Gryffindor students were to either be resorted if they sided with him, or sold into slavery if they didn't." Luna told her, her eyes also fixed on the empty space. "It was the last thing that happened before I was taken away."

Severus blocked them out as he touched his wand to the stones. In a style reminiscent of the way to gain entry to Diagon Alley, he tapped several bricks in a certain order. The stones melted away to reveal the entrance to the common room. He motioned for them to enter and followed them once they were inside, resealing the entrance again.

The windows were blacked out and a chill filled the room. Hermione could just make out the comfortably padded sofas on which she had spent hours of her school years on. The fire sat cold and empty, as if it had long forgotten how to burn brightly. The stairs to the dormitories seemed to lead to nowhere as the darkness clung to every surface and gap in the room. It seemed even larger now it was not filled with laughter or the life that it used to be contained in it.

Severus pointed his wand at the fireplace and uttered a spell. A few seconds later, a brilliant fire burned in the stone grate. It brought back some light and warmth to the common room but it failed to fight the lingering shadows.

Victoria, Estella, Luna and Penelope were instantly drawn to the warmth, settling in the seats in front of the hearth. Hermione remained standing still, looking at the place she had once called home. If she had thought the entrance and the corridors had been bad, they were nothing compared to this. She had never thought she could feel so uncomfortable in the tower, but here she was.

"Miss Granger?"

Hermione met his eyes with her own tear filled ones. "It's so different."

Severus sighed. "A lot has changed."

The curly haired witch snorted. "I know that, believe me."

Severus cleared his throat awkwardly and looked at the girls. "The beds are thoroughly cleaned every week by the Hogwarts House Elves so feel free to use them. Winky and Dobby are still on staff so they will provide you with food. There's a silencing spell on the room so you won't have to worry about being found and only I know how to access this room. Don't leave and don't draw attention to yourselves."

He swept from the room, leaving them all alone. Hermione awkwardly perched on one of the sofas and looked around. Ghosts clung to every surface and she could almost hear the laughter of Harry and Ginny as the black haired boy defeated Ron in chess for the first time. She could almost hear the red head's sulky reaction.

Without them, Gryffindor tower just wasn't the same.

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Please Read and Review. I'm really sleepy so the descriptions at the end of the story suck lol. Hope you enjoyed it anyway :D


	10. Chapter 9 - New Order

I was struggling to write, so I switched to writing by hand and managed to write two chapters with a good idea of what to write for the third one :) As I have said, I have a basic plan (and the ending is all planned) but no concrete idea of what is going to happen chapter to chapter so your guess is as good as mine XD On a lighter note, I had a really good day yesterday :D I had a group interview for a job at Homebase during the day and then that night was contacted to ask if I would come in for a one to one interview. Add to that the very awesome fact that I was accepted to do my Masters in Creative Writing and that means my day was amazing XD

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**Chapter Nine**

**New Order**

The sun rose outside of the castle, but inside the Gryffindor tower no light penetrated the blacked out windows. The bustle of the school remained a mystery to the group of women hidden behind the walls of the Gryffindor tower. Penelope and Estella had claimed a room to themselves and had pushed the beds together to create a double bed. Estella snuggled into Penelope's side.

"What time is it?" Penelope's voice was thick with sleep.

"I don't know." Estelle murmured, her lips brushing against Penelope's skin.

"Do you think we ought to get up?"

Estelle gave a wicked smirked. "I can think of something else I would rather do to celebrate our freedom."

Her fingers travelled lazily across Penelope's skin, roaming from the twin peaks of her breasts and down to the apex of her thighs. Her darker haired lover gasped and grabbed her hand as she gently touched her.

"Stop." Penelope giggled. "We ought to get up. We can do that later."

Estella pouted and reached out for Penelope. The dark haired girl rolled out of bed and ran towards the door. The blonde huffed and quickly followed her. She chased her down the stairs, their laughter ringing out as the staircase swirled down. The blonde finally caught her lover as they stopped at the bottom, her arms wrapped around Penelope's waist.

They stopped laughing as they took in the room. A picture of Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione hung above the fireplace, the group laughing and then Harry moving to kiss Ginny while Hermione giggled at Ron who scowled. The background displayed Hogwarts as it was before the war came to an abrupt end. One of the blacked out windows had some pictures stuck to it and someone had scrawled names and places on it. Luna was sat on one of the sofas watching as Hermione crouched in front of the fireplace. She was brandishing a wand at the grate and muttering something.

"Um, where did she get the wand?" Estella asked Luna.

"Olivander made Harry, Ron and I some spare wands in case anything happened to ours. He never registered them at the ministry so they're not traceable. We never had to use them, but Rookwood broke my wand when I was captured so I've got to use this one now. It's almost like my old one, but the wood is slightly more flexible." Hermione answered the question with her back still to them.

"Okay. So what are you doing?"

A bright blast of light hit the fireplace and the girls had to shield their eyes. When the light cleared, Hermione had a triumphant smile on her face. The girls had to blink several times to clear the dark spots shrouding their vision.

"What the fuck was that?" Victoria yelled.

She had arrived in the room just before the flash and was now afflicted by the same temporary blindness as the others, and she was not happy. She had no idea what was going on and confusion combined with not being a morning person filled her with fury.

"I fixed the floo system and made sure it was off the grid. Only those who know the password and the fact it's there will be able to use it. It's like the charms of Grimmauld Place, only without a secret keeper. Do you think I ought to make one? Maybe I could make each of us a secret keeper." Hermione began to ramble, leaving the other girls staring at her.

"I think the Nargles are getting to her."

Hermione froze and looked at Luna. "What did you say?"

A smile split her face and hope shone from her eyes. It had been such an off the cuff remark that it made her almost forget that she was not in Hogwarts as a student. She was delighted that Luna was talking about Nargles again. It had been so long since she had heard a quirky comment from the blonde's lips.

Luna looked down at her hands. "Nothing. Nargles don't exist. They're just the ramblings of a stupid little girl."

Hermione's smile slipped from her face and tears sprung to her eyes. She had heard Luna say those words before. It had been something that the former Ravenclaw had had beaten into her during her capture before she had been handed over to the brothel. The former Gryffindor had hoped that being in Hogwarts would undo the conditioning she had been put through and would enable her to embrace her fun-filled, strange but wise nature again.

Alas it seemed it would take a bit longer for the blonde to heal and her nature to be restored fully.

The drape that Estella had hung over the empty portrait hole the night before was pushed to one side and Severus stepped inside. He took in the room with wide eyes before falling on the picture of the Golden Trio. A sad glint shot through his obsidian orbs while his face remained stoically passive.

"What is all this?" He asked.

Hermione stood and crossed her arms. It was clear that she hadn't slept as there were dark rings under her eyes and she was still wearing her hoodie and jeans that she had put on the day before. She narrowed her eyes at the headmaster.

"Why are you here? It's a school day. Won't someone notice that you're gone?" She asked coolly.

"Do you really think me so reckless as to visit you when there's a chance that I could be discovered to be harbouring you?" Severus snarled.

Hermione raised her eyebrow.

Severus rolled his eyes. "I told the professors that I had some work to do and that I was not to be disturbed. I used an disillusionment charm to walk here and only Nearly Headless Nick comes up here, and he wouldn't say anything, so I did not need to worry that I would be caught."

Hermione nodded satisfied. She knew that Severus wouldn't have risked being caught, not after spending so many years as a spy, but escaping had made her paranoid. Not to mention that Blaise's attack had made her very wary of trusting people.

"You didn't answer my question, Miss Granger. What is all this?" Severus looked around the room pointedly before meeting her gaze again.

"Since the Order is gone, I think it's time we created a new one." The witch replied.

Severus let a gasp escape with a hiss through his clenched teeth. The other girls all frowned and looked at each other.

"Are you insane?" Severus snarled. "You're just one girl. What makes you think you can take on the Dark Lord alone?"

Hermione scoffed. "Dumbledore was just one person when he started the Order, but it grew. Besides, I'm not just one person. I have the girls, and you. You and I have fought against Voldemort for many years. We have experience. That's a start."

Severus was quiet. It was true. They both had been fighting against Voldemort in their own ways for many years; Hermione with Harry and him as a spy. They probably knew the Dark Lord better than anyone else. He supposed that if anyone was to stand up to him, then they would be the best ones for the job.

The dark wizard shook his head. "But who are we going to get to help us? Dumbledore had contact, we do not."

Hermione gave a small grin. Severus was in. He was already referring to the small group as 'we'. He was obviously in on the plan.

"Well, I think I have an idea of where we can find some new members to our new faction of the Order of the Phoenix. I've been doing some research using a map and my wand." She told the group.

"Where are we going then?" Penelope asked.

Hermione smirked and pulled a map from her beaded bag. She spread the map across the sofa and pointed to a spot on it. The group leant in to get a better look.

She looked up at the team. "We're going to Romania."

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Please Read and Review. I wonder what's in Romania... ;)


	11. Chapter 10 Romania

See I said I'd prewritten two chapters ;) Hope you enjoy this one :D

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**Chapter Ten**

**Romania**

Roars echoed around the Romanian hills. They were unheard by Muggles, but in a wizarding village nestled in the lowlands of these hills, they were all too loud.

"I 'ate those sounds." Fleur grumbled as she washed a plate in the sink under the kitchen window. "Zey remind me zat Bill ees always in danger. I 'ate et!"

Fred Weasley looked up from where he was tinkering with a product that he and his brother had invented. He hadn't changed too much except a scar that ran across his right eye and the orb was cloudy.

"Relax Fleur, Bill's working with Charlie. They both know what they are doing." He assured her with a grin.

"Yeah." George said from the other side of the product. "Charlie's been doing this for years and Bill's not a newbie. It's been four years since he started as a Dragon Keeper."

Fleur turned to face them and the French woman wrapped her arms around herself. Her sad eyes looked at the twins. It was easy to tell them apart now with Fred's blind eye and George's missing left ear.

"We 'ave lost so much. I can't 'andle losing Bill too." She whispered.

The door to the cottage opened and Bill entered. He had heard the last part of Fleur's sentence and wrapped his arms around her. He had filled out during his time as a dragon keeper and his large, muscular arms combined with his scarred face had lent him a dangerous, rugged appearance.

"You won't lose me. I promise."

Fleur turned in his arms and cupped his cheek. "You can't know zat."

Bill placed a kiss on her lips. "We stand a better chance here than we do back home."

A tear rolled down Fleur's cheek and she kissed him again. They ignored the gagging and mocking shouts from the twins. The door to the cottage opened again and Charlie froze, a grin on his face.

"Am I interrupting something?" He said teasingly.

"Nah, Fleur and Bill decided they were going to try and give us a niece or nephew right in front of us." George called.

"Now that would be a story to tell the kid." Fred chuckled.

Fleur rolled her eyes with a small smile and buried her face in her husband's chest.

The fireplace flared green and the Weasleys jumped up, their wands pointed at it. They heard the voices before they saw them.

"What were you thinking? You could have been found out."

"Relax, I know what I'm doing. It's a secure network and the wand can't be traced."

Their eyes widened as the owners of the voices stepped out of the flames. They raised their wands a little higher and gave them suspicious looks. The fireplace flared green again and again until four more people joined them all. They were all met by the Weasleys glaring at them.

"Who are you?" Charlie demanded.

Hermione gave him a smile. "Charlie, it's me. Hermione."

Bill stepped forward. "Prove it."

"In second year I worked out that the creature was a Basilisk and it was using the pipes to get around Hogwarts. In fourth year I went to the yule ball with Viktor Krum. He became my pen pal and was also my first kiss. I only told Fleur and Ginny about that. I gave my half-kneazle cat to Hagrid before Harry, Ron and I went on the run. His name is Crookshanks. Anything else you want me to say?" Hermione looked at them all.

Bill turned to Fleur. "Well? Is that thing with Krum true?"

Fleur nodded. "Et iz. But what about him?"

Severus glanced at each of them in turn. "I'm a spy for the Order of the Phoenix. I know that it was revealed before Minerva was killed at a meeting at Grimmauld Place. I had confessed to her that me killing Dumbledore in Draco's stead was part of a plan between us both just before Mister Potter died."

Slowly the group lowered the wands.

"Is that Luna Lovegood?" Fred asked, looking at the blonde.

"And that's Sienna Stowe. She was in our year at Hogwarts, and she was in Hufflepuff." George added.

"Actually it's Penelope now." Penelope cleared her throat awkwardly.

Estella giggled. "So _Sienna Stowe_, you were a Hufflepuff."

Penelope narrowed her eyes. "Shut up. Hufflepuff was a good house. It was filled with nice people."

Fleur pushed forward and enveloped Hermione in a tight hug, tears leaking from her eyes. "'ermione! Et iz lovely to see you."

Hermione clung to her. She smelt like Mrs Weasley had done. She smelt like home. She had found those who were just like her family after she had sent her own away.

"Where's Arthur and Percy?" The curly haired witch whispered.

Fleur's sobs grew and she hugged Hermione tighter. "Arthur died just before we escaped England and Percy was captured."

Hermione fought her own tears and pulled away from Fleur. One by one she hugged the remaining Weasleys. She held onto the twins just a little bit tighter. She had bonded with him while hiding out at Grimmauld Place just after Harry's death. They had attempted to cheer her and themselves up by showing off some little tricks. Ron had sought comfort, however, in firewhiskey. The couple had only come together for physical comfort.

After Ron died, Hermione had turned to them for more than laughter. They had spent some wonderful nights together before her capture, and she had found herself thinking back to them often over her years as a prostitute. Now they were together again and those nights seemed like such a long time ago. They had all changed so much, but their cheeky grins instantly made her feel at ease; just as looking into Harry's green eyes and being close to Ron had once done.

"What brings you here after so long anyway?" Charlie asked.

Hermione's appearance suddenly changed. She became a lot more serious and her eyes that had shone with joy became darker.

"I've not come for a reunion, not a proper one anyway, I've come with a proposition."

She sank into a spare seat at the mahogany table and looked around at the Weasley family memebers.

"I'm starting up a new order." Hermione began. "Voldemort has ruled for far too long and it's time for him to fall. We know exactly how to do it, but we need help. So?"

Fleur shook her head. "No! No! I won't let Bill do et!"

Bill took her hand. "Fleur, we could save everyone. We could save Percy. If there's any chance that he's alive then we have to try."

Fleur stormed off and Bill raced after her, leaving the twins, Charlie and Hermione's little group alone. They sat rather awkwardly as Bill and Fleur's furious argument filled the air, Fleur's shouting punctuated with bouts of French.

"So, a new order?" Charlie said.

Hermione nodded. "It's time we took back our world. Harry and Ron might be gone, but I'm not. So many of the Deatheaters have grown lazy without us fighting them and Voldemort has grown cocky as he believes he's immortal. Now is the perfect time to start taking them down."

The Weasleys considered her words quietly. If they fought back then they could finally have revenge for the loss of over half their family. They could save everyone from suffering and save the Muggles from the storm they didn't know was coming.

Finally Bill entered the room again with a sulking Fleur. "We'll join you. For our family's sake."

Charlie summoned some parchment from Bill's desk and scrawled a note to their employer. They didn't have very much in the cottage anyway so it didn't take them long to pack. When they stepped through the flames it took them a while to adjust to the change in lighting. It wasn't surprising that that, in the dark, they didn't recognise Gryffindor tower at first.

"Where are we?" Bill asked once Hermione and the girls stepped out of the fire.

Severus had flooed straight to his office as he had been missing for a while and he couldn't risk being caught away from his desk.

"Don't you recognise it?" Hermione asked in a hushed tone.

The twins let out a low whistle.

"Bloody hell. Is this…?" George hissed.

"Gryffindor tower." Fred nodded.

Hermione closed and locked the floo before turning to them. "Bill, Fleur, you can use the seventh year dorm. The beds are bigger in there. You'll have to use the boys' as the girls' dorm had a charm on it. Charlie, Fred, George, you can use whichever one you want. If you leave your wands down here then I can put an anti-tracing charm on them.

The Weasleys had to admit that they were impressed with how organised Hermione was. They had already known she was organised when it came to her studies, but planning a rebellion was a whole other level. The girls were impressed, but also concerned. This had been why Hermione hadn't slept the night before. Luna couldn't help but think that this was her way of fighting sleep so she didn't have to face the memories of her rape swirling around in her mind. Hermione would have to face them soon and Luna hoped that she could be there for her.

Hermione smiled brightly at the Weasleys "Welcome home."

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Please Read and Review. I hope you liked this chapter. I have a good idea of what I want to happen next, I just need to write it XD


	12. Chapter 11 Crossed Paths

Woo hoo! I managed to write another chapter! I'm going to watch Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief for the first time now and hopefully tomorrow I'll have another chapter written ;)

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**Chapter Eleven**

**Crossed Paths**

_Hero stood in the dark of the store room. The torches flickered on the walls and created looming shadows that seemed to leer at the scantily clothed girl. She looked around her with a terrified expression. _

"_Blaise?" _

_Her voice echoed off the stone walls. A sinister laugh came from the gloom. _

"_How could I love you? A filthy prostitute." _

_Hero felt a tear roll down her cheek. "Blaise?"_

"_Mudblood."_

_Hero covered her ears and screamed. "Stop! Stop it!"_

_She spun and suddenly came face to face with a leering Blaise. He advanced on her and she backed up rapidly. Her back collided with the wall behind her and she looked up at him. _

"_There is one thing you are good for." The Zabini heir snarled. _

_Hero looked down to see her nightie was gone. She was naked and on show for the lecherous eyes of Blaise and the newly appeared Marcus Flint, Goyle and Crabbe. Suddenly a pair of arms grabbed her from behind and she screamed, thrashing in their grasp. _

"_Remember me, girlie?" _

_Rookwood's rancid breath brushed her ear and she squirmed. Fear flooded her system with adrenaline and she kicked out. She missed by mere inches every time. _

"_Please, don't!" _

_Blaise freed himself from his trousers and covered her body with his. His cold eyes met hers and she cried out as he forced his way inside of her. The pain shot through her._

Hermione sat up in bed, drenched in sweat. Her heart was racing and her throat was raw from her screaming in her sleep. She was thankful that she had placed a silencing charm on the curtains around her old bed in her old dormitory. She couldn't help but think that the dorm seemed colder without Parvarti and Lavender's constant nattering. Having Luna and Victoria share the room with her helped, but it wasn't the same.

Hermione parted the drapes with shaking hands. She sat quietly and took a few calming breaths. She knew she wouldn't be sleeping again that night and she was exhausted. She needed some dreamless sleep draught.

She reached under the bed and pulled out her beaded bag. She dug through it, searching for some vials of the draught she had stashed inside before she had gone on the run with the boys.

"Merlin's beard." She cursed quietly, throwing the bag to the floor.

There wasn't any left. Between her, Harry and Ron they had used it all up. She desperately needed some. She had only managed to sleep four hours ever since she had been attacked in the store room. She needed more rest if she was going to take down Voldemort and his army of Deatheaters.

Standing she rushed from the dorm and down the stairs. The common room was still and empty. The time keeping spell she had cast on the wall told her it was one o'clock in the morning.

"Dobby." She called softly.

There was an equally soft pop and the large, golf ball eyes of Dobby the house elf looked up at her.

"Miss Hermione! Dobby is very pleased to see you Dobby is."

Hermione gave the house elf a grin. She bent down and drew the creature into a hug.

"I'm pleased to see you too, Dobby."

Dobby blinked at her. "What can Dobby do for you, Miss Hermione?"

"Is Professor Snape awake?" Hermione asked as she pulled away.

Dobby nodded. "Dobby believes so, miss."

Hermione smiled. "Are his quarters secure? Like safe from Deatheaters and those on Voldemort's side."

"Yes Miss."

"Thank you, Dobby." Hermione beamed. "You've been very helpful."

Dobby nodded and then disappeared back to the kitchens. The witch crossed to the floo and reopened it. Taking a pinch of floo powder, that had once been part of the emergency kit in the beaded bag, she threw it into the fire.

"Professor Snape's quarters."

The flames turned a vibrant emerald green and she stepped into them. When she spinning stopped, she stepped out into the dark and elegantly decorated chambers of Severus Snape. The flagstone floor was cold on her bare feet but a couple of steps meant she stepped onto a dark green rug that matched the dark green leather sofa. She shivered as she stepped back onto the stone floor as she looked around.

Light spilled out onto the floor from a door that was ajar just down the corridor. A wooden sign on the door said it was the study. Hermione crossed to it and knocked as she pushed it open.

She immediately regretted it and swore violently. She was going to kill Dobby.

"Granger?"

Sat opposite Severus in a large chair and holding a glass of whiskey was Draco Malfoy. The pale boy was staring at her in shock and if his hand hadn't have been over the desk, then the glass would have smashed on the floor.

Hermione raised the wand she had used to unlock the floor and pointed it at Draco.

"Granger, lower the wand." Severus sighed.

"But he's seen me. He knows I'm here." Hermione argued.

Severus rubbed his face. "Lower the wand and sit down."

Cautiously, Hermione moved her hand so it was down by her side and sat down on the free chair beside Draco. She glanced over at Draco suspiciously before looking at Severus.

"Pour her a whiskey, Draco." Severus instructed.

The platinum haired man followed his instructions and poured a generous flass of whiskey and handed his former school enemy the glass. She took it and sipped it carefully. The Slytherin Prince sat down in his seat again and resumed drinking his own glass of amber liquid.

"Mind telling me why we're all sat around drinking and not panicking about Malfoy knowing that I'm here." Hermione drawled in a fair imitation of Severus himself.

"Well, Miss Granger, a lot has changed since you were captured. Draco here has rejected the dark mark. He had been able to stave off the Dark Lord's demands that he has it done. After all _he_ has more important things to worry about than Draco." Severus explained.

Hermione frowned. "Isn't Lucius Malfoy the Minister for Magic now? How can Voldemort not care that his minister's own son doesn't want to take the Dark Mark?"

"That's sort of part of the reason. He's fine with me not taking the mark as he thinks that I can convince some of the blood traitors women to join by leading by example. He thinks that my looks will entice them to follow me. He did the same with Blaise and some of the younger, handsome recruits. He's hoping to save me for just before he takes over the Muggle world." Draco explained before downing his whiskey.

Hermione flinched as Draco said Blaise's name. He had always worn long sleeved shirts so she had never seen the mark. Even when they had sex he had kept his top on. He claimed it was because if someone interrupted them then it was easier to make the situation look innocent a lot quicker if they were nearly dressed already.

She had really fallen for it. At least now she knew why he had kept his arms covered. Following Draco's example, she downed her whiskey in one go.

"So what's your story Granger?" Draco's grey eyes fixed on her in fascination.

"Got captured, spent the last five and a bit years in prostitution, got fed up and escaped with a group of my friends. You know, not a lot." Hermione sneered.

Draco poured himself another whiskey and looked away from her awkwardly. Hermione gave a snarky smile.

"What was the reason you came down here, Miss Granger?" Severus asked.

Hermione slumped. Blaise's voice ringing in her ears.

"_How could I love you?" _

"I came for some dreamless sleep."

"Of course, Miss Granger." Severus stood and led her into his laboratory.

Hermione looked at the cauldrons bubbling around her. She followed him to the back of the room where Severus kept a cabinet full of ready-made potions.

"Can I really trust Draco?" Hermione said softly.

Severus handed her the potion vial and nodded. "He's not like Lucius. He doesn't want to hurt anyone. He doesn't want to be a Deatheater. He was just brainwashed by Lucius' hate campaign."

Hermione drank the vial and handed it to her former professor. "All right. I trust your judgement. Good night, Professor."

"Goodnight, Miss Granger."

Severus watched as Hermione flooed back to Gryffindor tower. He entered the study again and sank into his seat. He considered Draco carefully and sighed.

"So Granger's back at Hogwarts." Draco drawled. "I have a feeling that things are going to get interesting."

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Please Read and Review. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and thanks to all those who have reviewed and followed this story. I hope I can continue to meet your expectations with this story :D


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